Chef Chat

Chance encounter bringing German chef to Cedarburg

Rainer Knuppertz

A chance encounter with an old school pal on the streets of Germany - and a dream of riding a Harley in the motherland - brings chef Rainer Knuppertz on his first visit to America.

Until recently, the German master butcher, chef and party planner had never even heard of Cedarburg, where that old friend now lives. But in true German style, he's up for Oktoberfest anywhere. Throw in a ride on a Harley-Davidson, provided by Suburban Harley in Thiensville, and he's on his way.

Knuppertz, 53, offers classes and catering in Langendernbach, Germany, where he runs Rainer Knuppertz Party Service. Sharing his knowledge of traditional and modern German cooking, Knuppertz will host eight cooking classes with dinners in the dining hall of Advent Lutheran Church, W63-N642 Washington Ave., Cedarburg. Classes are scheduled for Oct. 9, 10 and 11 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. and 5:30 to 8:30 p.m. Fee is $45, and includes appetizer, main dish menu, dessert and Cedar Creek Winery wines and beer. Participants must be 18 or older. To register for classes, call Cedarburg Parks and Recreation at (262) 375-7611 by Oct. 5.

Knuppertz also will be serving German street food at Cedarburg's Oktoberfest from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Oct. 13 and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Oct. 14.

We talked with him via email, with local translation help from Andreas Hasenauer.

Q. Where in Germany are you located? What is the area best known for?

A. I am located in the Westerwald region, which is a low mountain range on the right bank of the river Rhine.

My cooking studio is located in Langendernbach, a village in the municipality Dornburg near a town called Limburg/Lahn. Westerwald translates to "Western Forest" and it is a rural, 40% wooded area that is known for slate mining, clay quarrying, basalt mining and its pottery and iron ore industry.

It is also interesting to mention that the first German television cook, Clemens Wilmenrod, was born in this region, about four miles away from my cooking studio.

Q. Tell me about your connection to Wisconsin. How did the trip to Cedarburg come about?

A. One day I was on my way home to Limburg with my car. I was waiting at a red traffic light in Wiesbaden, when somebody all of a sudden tore my car door open and sat right next to me in the passenger seat. I was close to getting a heart attack . . . but then I recognized that it was my old schoolmate from Limburg, Matthias Hasenauer.

We were so happy to see each other that he spontaneously offered to drive to Limburg with me. During the trip he told me that he had moved to Cedarburg with his family, and he made a joke that I had to come and cook for the Americans one day. I said spontaneously that I would do that, if they would pay for my flight and if I would get to ride a Harley-Davidson. This was how this crazy idea was born.

Q. Why was the Harley ride part of the deal?

A. I have always enjoyed riding motor bikes, and I have always owned one. It is the dream of each biker to ride a Harley-Davidson in its motherland. We grew up with these dreams of the American freedom, Route 66. In fact, my grandpa was the first person in Limburg to own a Harley. It is even documented in pictures to be seen in an official Harley-Davidson book.

Q. What defines modern German cooking today?

A. I would say the trend is "going back to the roots." There were times where I would be asked to prepare huge Mediterranean or Italian buffets, but now the trend goes more to down-to-earth dishes. And people want quality instead of quantity. The times of huge amounts of stomach-filling side dishes like French fries and croquettes are over.

People's eating habits have changed significantly. They want quality ingredients. They ask where the meat is coming from. Some insist that the veggies must be in season or must be grown locally and not imported by large supermarket chains. A lot of the customers grew up in a household where grandma used to cook all these yummy classic foods like a sauerbraten, for example, but they don't know how to make that anymore.

How to make a bone marrow dumpling soup for starter and a nice meat roast with a nice gravy as a main course, that's what people want to learn again.

Q. Who did the cooking in your childhood home?

A. Mostly grandma and my mom, of course, but I grew up in a butcher family business where everybody dealt with food and prepared food on a daily basis. It lies literally in my genes. My great-grandmother used to cook for the Count of Orange-Nassau.

Q. How did you develop your interest in cooking?

A. I was the second youngest butcher master in Germany when I graduated. . . . Not long after that I got my chef's degree. Doing the shopping, dealing with meat, making sauces, make something yummy out of nothing was what I have always loved. Either you love the food business or you hate it because it is a tough business.

I like to cook for festivities, birthdays, weddings, etc. It makes me happy to be able to make other people happy through my work. It is very fulfilling to plan and make something and being able to see, smell and taste the immediate result.

Q. What traditional recipes are universal throughout Germany?

A. That is very hard to say because the German kitchen is known for diversity and more so, each region has its specialties. . . . The province or state of Hesse that I live in has to offer dippekuche (a potato loaf or cake), and the Frankfurt green sauce with boiled eggs and boiled potatoes belongs to Frankfurt, like the Cathedral to Cologne. Another typical specialty from our area is Handkäs mit Musik, that is a cheese made from raw, untreated milk and it is served in a sauce made with onion, oil and vinegar.

Q. What are some of the current influences in German kitchens?

A. When I opened a cooking studio in the neck of the woods many years ago, it was hard.

One big influence that gave the whole cooking business a boost (is) the numerous cooking shows on TV. People like to watch them. . . . They become inspired and want to start cooking themselves.

In the old days, men would meet with their buddies to go out and drink. Now they call me up and sign up for a cooking class. People built a certain knowledge through these shows and their interest in the topic of cooking generally. They all of a sudden know what an original Wiener schnitzel is. The trend is definitely freshness, simplicity, don't drown things in too much gravy. Serve the gravy separately. One side dish instead of a million, and no heavy stomach-filling side dishes.

Q. How do you personally celebrate during Oktoberfest?

A. This year? I celebrate Oktoberfest in Cedarburg. When I get back home I will be cooking for a customer who is turning 60. He used to be the head of the fire department in my region and he wants to celebrate his birthday throwing an Oktoberfest party. I love this time of the year, and I love the hearty, substantial Bavarian food.

Q. What is your preferred pairing - beer or wine?

A. Beer. Pilsner style.

Q. What are you looking forward to trying during your visit here?

A. I have never been to the United States of America. . . . For me America is known for its hamburgers, steaks and barbecues. I am anxious to try all that out, but there's got to be more to discover. I am open to anything new.

Q. What recipes will you be demonstrating here?

A. I had thought about it for quite some time what we should offer. I didn't know what people like or what they would expect here, and I also didn't want to challenge them too much with too exotic meals. But a lot of people here have German heritage and we put some nice meals together for the cooking (class). . . .

At the Oktoberfest itself we'll offer pan-fried rosemary potatoes and currywurst. I was surprised to hear that so few people knew about this typical German street food snack. It is a cult snack in Germany. Literally everybody loves it. You could see millionaires stopping for lunch at one of the little Imbiss huts that are known for good currywurst.

About Kristine M. Kierzek

Vanishing Wisconsin isan occasional series that takes a closer look at traditions, occupations,cultures and icons that make up the fabric of Wisconsin life but are on theverge of disappearing. If you have an idea, please contactMark Hoffman.